New Delhi, Oct 3 (ANI): Pakistan's Commerce Minister Makhdoom Muhammad Amin Fahim met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here on Monday in an effort to strengthen trade ties between the two countries.
Delegates, from both the countries, also attended the meeting.
India and Pakistan had earlier on September 29 agreed to open bank branches of the respective countries and new land routes to boost bilateral trade.
They recently agreed to double the bilateral trade to six billion dollars annually from the current level of 2.7 billion dollars by 2014, including a liberalised visa regime from November 2011 for business communities.
Muhammad Amin Fahim extended his three-day (September 27- 30) trip and visited sufi shrines and other tourist spots.
India and Pakistan may be home to some 1.4 billion people, but bilateral trade flows are paltry-a legacy of mistrust between the South Asian neighbours who have gone to war three times since their independence from Britain in 1947.
The achievements are likely to be modest-from opening trading posts to stamping more business visas-but even small moves can improve frayed ties.
Trade across the borders is severely restricted both in the number of items that are permitted to be bought and sold, and the hours during which the customs are open for business.
Islamabad wants India to lower what it says are unfair barriers to trade, such as cumbersome approval procedures for exporters selling anything from cement to fruit and vegetables. (ANI)
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